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Ex-MLBer Carlton Fisk's home burglarized in Manatee

Boston Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk reacts as he sees his 12th inning home run hit the left-field foul pole to win the sixth game of the World Series against Cincinnati, Oct. 21, 1975 in Boston's Fenway Park.

Harry Cabluck, via AP file (1975)

SHANNON McFARLAND

Published: Friday, December 21, 2012 at 1:01 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, December 21, 2012 at 1:01 p.m.

MANATEE COUNTY - The Manatee County home of Baseball Hall of Fame catcher Carlton “Pudge” Fisk was burglarized and thousands of dollars in collectible coins stolen, the Manatee County Sheriff's Office said Friday.

A pest control service notified deputies Thursday that the unoccupied house on 63rd Avenue East, a secluded area east of Bradenton surrounded by trees, had been broken into.

“All they took was the coins, there were other things that they didn't take that were of value,” said sheriff's spokesman Dave Bristow. The silver coins were worth thousands of dollars; no baseball memorabilia or other valuable items in the home were taken.

Since no other items were stolen, the Sheriff's Office is considering that the house was not a “random” target, but the burglar knew the coins were there.

Bristow said he does not know how often the Fisks are at the home, but they had been out of town for about a week. The home was burglarized while they were gone.

Michael McClain, who runs Pest Control by Mike Inc., arrived to take care of routine pest control at the home Thursday.

“I noticed that back door was taken off the hinges,” McClain said. “I immediately called the home owners and the Sheriff's Office.” McClain said the break-in looked like it might have been squatters.

“There was nobody there at the time, but it looked like they had been helping themselves to the home and facilities,” McClain said. McClain has been taking care of the pest control at the home for about five years, and said he knew Fisk, but did not know he was a Hall of Fame catcher.

McClain said it is a “beautiful” upper-class home. The three-bedroom built in 2002 is at the end of a long curving driveway with 8,000 square feet in living space, four full and one-half bathrooms, and a swimming pool. The total assessed value of the home is listed as $861,798 on the Manatee County Property Appraiser's website.

Fisk was a catcher for the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox for years, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000. His home run clinched Game 6 for the Boston Red Sox against the Cincinnati Reds, although the Reds ultimately won the 1975 World Series.

For the last five years, Fisk and his wife, Linda, have hosted the Fisk and Friends Celebrity Golf Tournament to benefit Suncoast Charities for Children, said Lucy Nicandri, vice president of marketing and special events for the nonprofit.

Nicandri said Fisk and his wife have been “awesome” as hosts of the tournament, which was last held in early November at the Founder's Golf Club in Sarasota. The tournament includes a breakfast, the opportunity to golf with celebrity sports players and an afternoon reception, with the funds raised going to benefit projects for children and adults with special needs, like the Community Haven and the Sarasota Special Olympics.

“He lives here part of the time, which is why he wanted to do something for the community,” Nicandri said.

<p><em>MANATEE COUNTY</em> - The Manatee County home of Baseball Hall of Fame catcher Carlton “Pudge” Fisk was burglarized and thousands of dollars in collectible coins stolen, the Manatee County Sheriff's Office said Friday.</p><p>A pest control service notified deputies Thursday that the unoccupied house on 63rd Avenue East, a secluded area east of Bradenton surrounded by trees, had been broken into.</p><p>“All they took was the coins, there were other things that they didn't take that were of value,” said sheriff's spokesman Dave Bristow. The silver coins were worth thousands of dollars; no baseball memorabilia or other valuable items in the home were taken.</p><p>Since no other items were stolen, the Sheriff's Office is considering that the house was not a “random” target, but the burglar knew the coins were there.</p><p>Bristow said he does not know how often the Fisks are at the home, but they had been out of town for about a week. The home was burglarized while they were gone.</p><p>Michael McClain, who runs Pest Control by Mike Inc., arrived to take care of routine pest control at the home Thursday. </p><p>“I noticed that back door was taken off the hinges,” McClain said. “I immediately called the home owners and the Sheriff's Office.” McClain said the break-in looked like it might have been squatters. </p><p>“There was nobody there at the time, but it looked like they had been helping themselves to the home and facilities,” McClain said. McClain has been taking care of the pest control at the home for about five years, and said he knew Fisk, but did not know he was a Hall of Fame catcher. </p><p>McClain said it is a “beautiful” upper-class home. The three-bedroom built in 2002 is at the end of a long curving driveway with 8,000 square feet in living space, four full and one-half bathrooms, and a swimming pool. The total assessed value of the home is listed as $861,798 on the Manatee County Property Appraiser's website. </p><p>Fisk was a catcher for the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox for years, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000. His home run clinched Game 6 for the Boston Red Sox against the Cincinnati Reds, although the Reds ultimately won the 1975 World Series.</p><p>For the last five years, Fisk and his wife, Linda, have hosted the Fisk and Friends Celebrity Golf Tournament to benefit Suncoast Charities for Children, said Lucy Nicandri, vice president of marketing and special events for the nonprofit.</p><p>Nicandri said Fisk and his wife have been “awesome” as hosts of the tournament, which was last held in early November at the Founder's Golf Club in Sarasota. The tournament includes a breakfast, the opportunity to golf with celebrity sports players and an afternoon reception, with the funds raised going to benefit projects for children and adults with special needs, like the Community Haven and the Sarasota Special Olympics.</p><p>“He lives here part of the time, which is why he wanted to do something for the community,” Nicandri said.</p><p><empty></p>